Drop-perch for vehicles



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' H. W. PELL'.

DROP PERGH FOR VEHIULE$. No. 403,209. Patented Mayl l, 1889.

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I 2 Sheets- Sheet 2, H. W. PELL.

DROP PEROH FOR VEHICLES.

PatentedMay 14, 1889.

llll '4 N. PEIERS, Phmmm m wmi n nnnnn c4 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

HENRY 1V. PELL, OF ROME, NEWV YORK.

DROP-PERCH Fo R VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,209, dated May 14, 1889.

Application filed July 3, 1388.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY WV. PELL, of the city of Rome, in the-county of Oneida, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drop-Perches for Vehicles, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicles in which the running-gear is connected by a d rop-perch of the character de scribed and claimed in my Letters Patent No. 10,616, (reissue) dated June 23, 1885; and my present invention consists, essentially, in a vehicle having a drop-perch in which its braces are secured directly to the axle. Itconsists, furthermore, in the combination of the drop-perch having a combined brace and fifth-wheel circle made in one piece, and the rear end of the perch fastened in the perchiron secured directly to the axle.

It consists, furthermore, in the peculiar construction of the fifth-wheel and the other parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In specifying my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

. Figure 1 is a top plan view of the vehicleperch provided with the combined brace and fifth-wheel. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the same, illustrating the detail construction of the fifth-wheel and brace and the method of securing the same to the axle of the vehicle. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line w 00 of Fig. 1, illustrating more particularly the concavo-convex circles of the fifthwheel and the securing means for connecting the same to the axle. Fig. 4 illustrates an inverted bottom plan view of the securing-iron for attaching the rear end of the perch directly to the axle. Fig. 5 is a detached side view of the same. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, taken on line y y of Fig. 4. Figs. '7 and 8,respectively, are detached inverted bottom plan views of the fifth-wheel circles; and Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are respectively detail views, Figs. 9 and 11 being in section of the various parts taken, respectively, on lines 2 2, Fig. 7, and .2 z,Fig. 10.

Serial No. 278,902. (No model.)

A represents the forward axle of the vehicle, and B is a perch connected thereto by the drop-perch iron and brace a a. The dropperch brace and iron to constitute the concaved brace portion a, which is made integral with the upper fifth-wheel circle, 0, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The fastening-iron a a is an extension of the brace a, and is provided with holes for the passage of the bolts Z Z, .which pass through the perch B and through the strap a Figs. 2 and 3, and are provided with the nuts n n, which securely clamp the perch-irons and brace a to the perch.

The combined perch-brace CL and fifth-wheel circle 0 are provided with a hole, 2, for bolts 1), which form pivots for the lower circles, c, of the fifth-wheel. It will be observed that the lower circle, 0, is provided with a saddle, s, Fig. 7, which is mounted on top of the axle and provided with an opening for a passage of the pivot-bolt b, and that the saddle s is securely clipped to the axle by clips 0, Figs. 2 and 3, while the strap a provided with the forwardly-exten ding arm a secured to a saddle, s, by the clips 0, forming a pivotal hearing for the bolt 1), serves to form a pivot for the lower circle, 0, of the fifth-wheel to turn freely thereon, completing the fifthwheel pivot without the necessity of weakening the axle by boring through the same to use the king-bolt now used generally for this purpose.

It will be observed that by my improvement the use of the king-bolt is obviated and the consequent weakening of the axle is overcome, and at the same time, by combining the drop-perch brace a with the upper circle,.c, of the fifth-wheel, I not only dispense with the king-bolt, but also with the head-block heretofore necessarily used in hanging vehicle-gears.

In order to provide a simple, easily lubricated, and exceedingly strong fifth-wheel, I preferably construct the upper circle, 0, of the fifth-wheel with a concaved under side, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and construct the lower circle, c,of a concavo-convex form, which coincides in contour exteriorly with the concaved recess of the upper circle and fits the lower circle, so that the same turns freely in the upper circle. The result is an exceedingly strong construction, which is easily lubricated and exceedingly economical to manufacture, since the combined concaved dropperch brace a, with its securing-shank a and integral fifth-wheel circle 0 may be drop-forged at a very small expense, while the lower circle with its saddle may be cast of malleable iron or steel casting, with the screw bolt or pivotpin 1) seated or cast therein and projecting upwardly, by means of which the two parts of the fifth-wheel circles are connected together. The advantage of this construction is readily apparent, since, as stated, both the headblock and king-bolt are dispensed with, while the vehicle-gear thus produced is equally strong and effective.

The rear end of the drop-perch is connected to the rear axle by means of the perch-iron D, provided with the orifices 2 3 4 and the saddle R, which is mounted on the rear axle, and a saddle-piece, R, Fig. 10, secured opposite thereto on the under side of theaxle, and the two parts clipped together by clips, as in case of the combined perch-brace a and fifthwheel circles c c to the forward axle. It will be observed, also, that the perch-iron D is provided with flanges (Z, extending downwardly on each side, embracing the sides of the perch, effectually preventing lateral displacement of the perch and securely retaining the perch in line. The perch-irons D and saddles R B may be drop-forged as in the case of the combined perch-brace a a and fifth-wheel circle, or may be cast of steel or malleable iron, as desired.

It will be observed that my improvement provides for the use of a single perch in the construction of a vehicle'gear; but a double perch may be readily used or secured in the same manner by simply providing double perclrirons, as described and shown in my patent heretofore referred to.

I do not restrict my improved combined perch-brace and fiftlnwheel circle to the form illustrated and described herein, since the circles may be plain-faced, as in the common fifth-wheel now in use, without departing from the principle of my invention, or other forms of frictional surfaces may be substituted without materially changing the nature thereof; neither do I restrict my invention to the manner of making the various parts, since the method of construction of the aforesaid parts is immaterial.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A vehicle having a drop-perch provided substantially at its extremities with braces secured thereto, rigidly securing the perch at one extremity to one axle and pivoting the perch at its opposite extremity to a saddle or saddles rigidly secured to the opposite axle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A vehicle having a drop-perch provided, substantially at its extremities, with braces or perch-irons secured thereto and formed concave in cross-section, one of which is attached directly to one axle and the other pivoted to a saddle or saddles rigidly secured to the opposite axle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of one circle of a fifth.- wheel secured to the axle of the vehicle with the other circle pivoted thereto, bearing thereupon, and formed integral with the dropperch braces secured to one extremity of the perch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4-. The combined drop-perch brace CL and fifth-wheel circle 0, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the axle A, saddles s s, fiftlrwheel circles c c, pivots Z) I), and strap a, whereby the fifth-wheel is secured to the axle without a king-bolt, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the axle A, perch B, and perch-brace a, of the fifth-wheel hav ing one circle secured to the axle and provided with the pivot-bolt b, and the opposite circle formed integral with the perch-brace a, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The concavo-convex fifth-wheel circles c 0, having the section 0 thereof formed integral with the drop-perch iron, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The concave-convex fifth-wheel circles c 0, having the 'upper section thereof formed in one piece with a drop-perch iron concave in cross-section, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The concave-convex fifth-wheel circles c c, in combination with a drop-perch, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. A fifth-wheel for vehicles, composed of I concave-convex circles, saddles s s, pivot 11,

formed integral with the lower half of the fifth-wheel circle and the clips 0, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. A fifth-Wheel for vehicles, composed of concavo-convex circles, saddles s s, pivot Z), and clips 0, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sign ed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Rome, in the county of Oneida, in the State of New York, this 15th day of June, 1888.

HENRY \V. PELL.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK H. GIBBS, E. WEIsBURe. 

